The black-red-pink government is shaky from the start. It is uncertain whether it will come to fruition at all. The willingness of party leaders Christian Stocker (ÖVP), Andreas Babler (SPÖ), and Beate Meinl-Reisinger (Neos) is not sufficient for this. The Neos' base must first agree. If they do, it remains questionable how long the government will last. You never know: Will the ÖVP drop out as soon as the unlikely event occurs that they could land in first place ahead of the FPÖ in a national election? Quite possible. As of today, however, it is primarily the state of the SPÖ that is causing uncertainty.
It's about Andreas Babler. He should never have become chairman and should have been replaced already, at least on paper. The paper form represents power relations: Babler was particularly supported by the Viennese comrades around Mayor Michael Ludwig in the election for chairman almost two years ago, not because they were convinced of him, but because he was, in their view, the lesser evil compared to the Burgenland governor Hans Peter Doskozil.
Later, Ludwig believed he could come to terms with Babler. However, he failed. Not even after the frustrating national election result of just 21 percent for the SPÖ did Babler give in, nor did Ludwig enforce consequences. On the contrary: In the first attempt to form a black-red-pink coalition, Babler let Ludwig's confidante Doris Bures run into a wall. In the second attempt, although a negotiation conclusion was reached, he treated her hardly any better.
Result: Personnel wishes of Ludwig and Bures were ignored by Babler. Finance City Councillor Peter Hanke as Finance Minister? No way! The Lower Austrian state party chairman Sven Hergovich, a former employee of Bures, as Infrastructure Minister? No way!
One can wonder at how unabashedly Babler makes enemies within his own ranks. As if Hans Peter Doskozil as such were not enough. But one can also wonder at what Ludwig, the supposedly most powerful Social Democrat, puts up with.
On the other hand: Maybe it's all just logical. Babler once ran against an establishment in the party, which also includes the Viennese mayor. The latter, in turn, could not keep Babler's predecessor Pamela Rendi-Wagner and had no successor ready. He could only prevent Doskozil with Babler.
This situation has not changed to this day: Babler is still the anti-establishment type. And Ludwig is powerless. Before the Vienna election on April 27, he cannot replace him anyway, and afterwards, he would very likely have no one who could become the new chairman. This strengthens Babler.
Johannes Huber runs the blog dieSubstanz.at – Analyses and Backgrounds on Politics
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.